SPLM membership is undermining Southerners

By Lago Gatjal Riaka

March 31, 2007 — Across United States, SPLM chapters have been set up in at least every state. This is also something that is happening around the world wherever there are Southern Sudanese. These SPLM chapters have taken the matter into their own hand as they go around claiming to be recruiting Southerners into becoming SPLM members. The matter of fact is that, their role trying to recruit Southerners into becoming SPLM members will in fact disappoint some of the Southern Sudanese population.

This membership is creating exclusion of Southerners who are automatically SPLM members from the beginning. Although some of the Southern Sudanese might have been disappointed about SPLM leadership in the 22 years civil war, this does not mean that they are not members. For instance, approaching a wounded person, a veteran, or Lost Boys of Sudan asking them whether they would like to become SPLM members would really disappoint some of these people.

Therefore, if this is the case, we must allow all parties operate in Southern Sudan and their doors open for membership. This will allow some of Southern Sudanese who are being excluded from the SPLM membership decide where they would like to be part of. As of right now, it is only SPLM that is operating in Southern Sudan campaigning for membership. A single party campaigning by itself contradicts the role of the multi-party system. Although we are still divided in Southern Sudan, I would consider majority of Southern Sudanese automatically SPLM members.

* Lago Gatjal Riaka is based in Moorhead, Minnesota, U.S.A. He can be reached at [email protected]